Friday, October 26, 2012

LEXINGTON, KY—"The shortest path to a judicial appointment in Kentucky is to become a legislative impediment to Gov. Beshear's pro-gambling agenda," said Martin Cothran in reference to today's appointment of Senate President David Williams to a judgeship by Gov. Steve Beshear. "If lawmakers are smart, they will be lining up to oppose the Governor, hoping for a regular paycheck and a good retirement package. This provides us with a great recruitment tool in the General Assembly."

Cothran, spokesman for The Family Foundation, said (seriously) that he didn't blame Williams for taking the position, adding that the state is losing "one of the best lawmakers it ever had." But he questioned the Governor's motivations for the move. Williams is the third high-profile, anti-expanded gambling conservative in the General Assembly that the Governor has lured away with an administrative or judicial appointment in the last couple of years.

"This is an attempt by the Governor to decapitate the opposition to his expanded gambling agenda in the General Assembly."

"The Governor is clearly executing his marching orders from the gambling industry. If we didn't know better, we'd be expecting the next announcement from the Governor to be that Churchill Downs was moving its executive offices to the State Capitol."

Cothran lamented the loss of Williams, whom he called "a staunch defender of the family." "David Williams will go down as one of Kentucky's great legislative leaders," said Cothran. "He will be sorely missed."